1

Attachment B

Preapplication Notification Information Pursuant to s. 295.465(2), Wis. Stats.

March 10, 2014

Existing Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) Information

and Other Sources of Information

2

The department maintains a wide variety of information in its databases that could be relevant to the potential impacts of the mining project, including information that could assist in the evaluation of the environmental impact of the project and to expedite the preparation of the EIR. Available information includes data on wetlands, surface water, fisheries, groundwater, drinking water, forestry, and wildlife. Examples of the types of information in the department’s databases are provided below. Wetland Information and Resources

1. Wisconsin wetland inventory (WWI) maps are available on the WDNR surface water data viewer at: http://dnrmaps.wi.gov/SL/Viewer.html?Viewer=SWDV&runWorkflow=Wetland. WWI maps show graphic representations of the type, size and location of wetlands in Wisconsin. These maps have been prepared from the analysis of high altitude imagery in conjunction with soil surveys, topographic maps, previous wetland inventories and field work. The principal focus of the WWI is to produce wetland maps that are graphic representations of the type, size and location of wetlands in Wisconsin. The WDNR recognizes the limitations of using remotely sensed information as the primary data source. They are to be used as a guide for planning purposes. There is no attempt, in either the design or products of this inventory, to define the limits of jurisdiction of any Federal, State, or local government or to establish the geographical scope of the regulatory programs of government agencies. Persons intending to engage in activities involving modifications within or adjacent to wetland areas should seek the advice of appropriate Federal, State, or local agencies concerning specified agency regulatory programs and jurisdictions that may affect such activities. The most accurate method of determining the legal extent of a wetland for federal or state regulations is a field delineation of the wetland boundary by a professional trained in wetland delineation techniques. Wetlands in Ashland and Iron Counties are currently being delineated and classified using 2013 stereo aerial photography. This part of the Wisconsin Wetland Inventory update process will be completed by June 30, 2014. Ortho rectification of the photography, vectorizing of line work and labeling of polygons will commence July 1, 2014. We anticipate completing the townships within the mine project area no later than December 31, 2014. 2. Wisconsin Wetland Inventory Mapping for Iron and Ashland County: The WDNR has created a map of the mine site using available WWI map information depicting mapped and point symbol wetlands and estimated wetland acreages. The following map and table are taken from the current Wisconsin Wetland Inventory digital GIS layer for Ashland and Iron Counties, which is based on interpretation of 1990-91 aerial photography. WWI maps wetlands that are too difficult to delineate clearly as point symbols, rather than mapping the boundaries of these wetlands as polygons. No acreage can be calculated for points, therefore we used two different assumptions to estimate point acreage: 1 acre per point or two acres per point. The total acreages reported in this table should be considered as a range. The map shown below is a reproduction of the paper map submitted to the department by Gogebic Taconite. Stream, wetland and elevation data are from existing department sources. Possible stream and wetland monitoring stations in and near the Mine Site are shown. Stations further from the site are not shown on this map. Mine Site Area Map Terms: Project Area indicates the outer boundaries of the proposed mine site, (not necessarily impacted areas).

3

Interior (Operations Area) indicates the area in which mining operations are planned. It includes the pits, plant area, sediment ponds/trenches, stockpile and topsoil areas. GTAC labeled this as ‘Interior” in their submittal. Physical Plant Area indicates the area in which buildings and other facilities will be placed. Pits indicates mine pits one and two. Stockpile Area indicates where waste rock will be placed (not including the sediment ponds or storm water drainage ways). Topsoil Stockpile Area indicates where stripped topsoil will be placed (but not including the sediment ponds or Storm water drainage ways).

4

Mapped Wetlands Within and Near the GTAC Mine Site

Based on Wisconsin Wetland Inventory_1991 (Polygons + Points) Entire

Project Area

Operations Area Plus 300m Buffer

Operations Area Plus 100m Buffer

Operations Area

Physical Plant Area

Pits Waste Rock Stock Pile

Soil Stock Pile

Area (Acres) 6,707 5,117 3,811 3,051 545 526 991 195 Mapped Wetland Polygon Acreage

Count 155 111 64 43 16 8 16 1 Acres 1,638 840 413 259 117 12 96 1

Mapped Wetland Points (2 acres or less) Estimated Acre Range Count 276 235 190 162 17 18 75 16 Acres @ 1/pt 276 235 190 162 17 18 75 16 Acres @ 2/pt 552 470 380 324 34 36 150 32

Total Estimated Wetland Acreage @ 1 acre/pt 1,914 1,075 603 421 134 30 171 17 @ 2 acre/pt 2,190 1,310 793 583 151 48 246 33

Percent Wetland @ 1 acre/pt 28.54% 21.01% 15.82% 13.80% 27.71% 5.70% 17.26% 8.72% @ 2 acre/pt 32.65% 25.60% 20.81% 19.11% 24.59% 9.13% 24.82% 16.92%

3. National Wetland Condition Assessment (NWCA) 2011: Wetlands of four freshwater and

two estuarine types were randomly selected across the nation. 17 freshwater sites were located in Wisconsin. They are representative of the two study ecoregions that occur in Wisconsin, Upper Midwest and Temperate Plains (Omernik 1987, USEPA 2011). Vegetation, algae, soil and water chemistry sampling was conducted along with characterization of land cover, hydrological setting and stressors in the assessment area and in a 100m buffer area. Data analysis is on-going and results are expected to be published by December of 2014.

4. Lake Superior Basin Floristic Quality Assessment (FQA) Benchmarks Survey: This is a research study of the inland (not coastal) wetland plant communities in the Lake Superior Basin, using timed meander sampling to gather comprehensive presence and abundance data at 265 assessment areas of 9 plant community types during the growing seasons of 2012 and 2013, along with land cover and an assessment of the level of anthropogenic disturbance at each assessment area. The purpose is to study the response of FQA metrics to disturbance for each wetland plant community type, in order to set benchmarks distinguishing between low, medium and high plant community condition for these metrics. Field data was gathered by UW-Superior’s Lake Superior Research Institute (LSRI) in accordance with a Quality Assurance Project Plan. Data analysis is on-going and results along with any proposed benchmarks are expected to be released in April 2014 by LSRI and the department’s Water Quality Bureau. The study will help guide interpretation of plant community surveys conducted in accordance with its sampling protocol.

5. NWI + Projects for Landscape Level Wetland Functional Assessment 6. ‘NWI+” is shorthand for an enhancement of the National Wetland Inventory, adding

hydrogeomorphic classifications that describe a wetland’s Landscape position, Landform,

5

Water flow path, and Waterbody type (LLWW descriptors). The US Fish and Wildlife Service have a manual for assigning these descriptors, “Dichotomous Keys and Mapping Codes for Wetland Landscape Position, Landform, Water Flow Path, and Waterbody Type Descriptors: Version 2.0” (R. Tiner 2011). This system has been used to describe wetland functional assessment at the watershed scale in several projects in Wisconsin. The closest NWI + project to the Mine Site were in the Upper St Croix Watershed (Watershed Study Report For The Headwaters of the St. Croix River Basin, WI”, US Army Corps of Engineers, 2013). Two other similar projects have been recently completed using this methodology: “A Landscape-Scale Wetland Functional Assessment and Identification of Potential Wetland Restoration Sites for the Stockbridge-Munsee Community” (J.Stark and D. Jensen, St Mary’s University Geospatial Services 2013) and “The Duck-Pensaukee Watershed Approach: Mapping Wetland Services, Meeting Watershed Needs” (N. Miller, et al., The Nature Conservancy 2012).

Surface Water Quality Information and Resources The department has several continuing or completed monitoring projects. Because the data are collected to meet the requirements of the specific project, an understanding of the goals and objectives the projects is necessary to interpret these data. Baseline Stream Tier 1 monitoring: This is a category for a number of baseline monitoring programs that usually consists of a single year of sampling for macroinvertebrate assemblages, fish assemblages, qualitative habitat rating and a single water chemistry grab sample using standard WDNR methods, index periods and biotic indices. Long Term Trend Wade-able: A monitoring program that samples every year at static regionally least disturbed reference sites to track changes in wadeable streams. Monitoring consists of macroinvertebrate assemblages, fish assemblages, quantitative habitat rating and a single water chemistry grab sample using standard WDNR methods, index periods and biotic indices. Long Term Trend River: A monitoring program that monitors monthly or quarterly (depending on site) at non-wadeable river sites associated with a USGS gauge to track changes in water quality parameters concentration and loading from grab samples collected during both base flow and runoff events. This monitoring program has the longest continuous period of record and most extensive chemical parameters. Severely impacted streams: A monitoring program that monitors a single visit at sites predicted to be regionally most disturbed based on anthropogenic stressors. Monitoring consists of macroinvertebrate assemblages, fish assemblages, qualitative habitat rating and a single water chemistry grab sample using standard WDNR methods, index periods and biotic indices. Tyler Forks Watershed Project 2012 and 2013: A watershed monitoring project was conducted in the Tyler Forks River watershed in 2012 and 2013. Additional waterways were monitored in portions of the Upper Bad, and Potato River watersheds. The purpose of the monitoring was to collect water quality information on area streams. The data gathered will be used for the purposes of updating waterbody assessment status (i.e. future monitoring for 303(d) or ERW/ORW status), for making management recommendations and updating water body and watershed narratives in our WATERS database, and for use in watershed planning. The monitoring included; water chemistry sampling, fish surveys, macroinvertebrate kick samples, habitat assessments, field parameters (dissolved oxygen, conductivity, pH, temperature, transparency tube) and continuous

6

temperature monitoring. The water chemistry sampling included nutrients, trace metals, sulfate, chloride, harness, alkalinity, and total organic carbon at 13 sites on 10 waterways. National Streams Assessment: The National Rivers and Streams Assessment (NRSA) is an EPA lead monitoring project designed to provide regional and national estimates of stream condition using a probabilistic site selection. All chemical measures should be directly comparable to WDNR collected data; however physical habitat measurements and biologic assessment protocols are different from WDNR protocols and may not be directly comparable. Citizen Lake Monitoring: Trained citizen volunteers measure Secchi depth bimonthly, and temperature, dissolved oxygen profiles, total phosphorus, and chlorophyll a during spring and fall turnover plus three times during summer. This monitoring has broad spatial coverage, with approximately 925 volunteers monitoring water quality at more than 800 monitoring stations throughout the state. This data is used to determine trophic status and assess lakes for water quality. http://dnr.wi.gov/lakes/clmn/ Long Term Trend Lakes: WDNR collects samples from 65 lakes throughout the state to monitor long-term trends in water quality and provide regional reference conditions for each lake class. The following variables are measured once during spring turnover and three times during summer: Secchi depth, temperature/dissolved oxygen profile, total phosphorus, chlorophyll a, and optionally, conductivity and pH. Water color, nitrate, nitrite, and total Kjeldahl nitrogen are measured once each year in the middle of summer. Calcium and Magnesium are measured on a 5-year cycle. http://dnr.wi.gov/topic/surfacewater/monitoring/strategy/Tier1/Ch1-Lakes_MonStrat_11-6-2008.pdf Lake Clarity from Satellite Imagery: WDNR Science Services analyzes satellite imagery each year to estimate water clarity in more than 3000 lakes across the state. Fish Contaminants: Tissue from a variety of fish species in lakes and rivers across the state is sampled for mercury and other metals. Priority lakes are sampled every 10-15 years, whereas other lakes have only been visited once. http://intranet.dnr.state.wi.us/int/water/fhp/pages/database-fishcontaminants.html Trout Lake Research Station: . Long-term research on mercury cycling in lakes near the Trout Lake Long Term Ecological Research field station is available and can provide baseline data to characterize lakes prior to, during, and after mining. National Lakes Assessment 2007 and 2012: Lakes were randomly selected (39 lakes in 2007, 50 lakes in 2012) for sampling by the US Environmental Protection Agency and therefore, should be representative of lakes throughout the state. This survey included the following indicators: Algal Toxins, Benthic Macroinvertebrates, Chlorophyll A, Nutrients, Phytoplankton, Sediment Dating, Sediment Diatoms, Sediment Mercury, Water Chemistry, and Zooplankton. Early Detection Invasive Species Monitoring for Lakes: In 2011, the WDNR received a Great Lakes Restoration Initiative grant to develop a statewide AIS monitoring protocol to evaluate the rate of AIS spread in state and determine AIS distribution. GLRI Lake Superior Phosphorus Study: A monitoring program at static stations that measure flow with USGS gauges and phosphorus concentrations through monthly and event based grab samples to calculate phosphorus loading to Lake Superior.

7

National Wetland Condition Assessment (NWCA) 2011: Wetlands of four freshwater and two estuarine types were randomly selected across the nation. 17 freshwater sites were located in Wisconsin. Vegetation, algae, soil and water chemistry sampling was conducted along with characterization of land cover, hydrological setting and stressors in the assessment area and in a 100m buffer area. Data analysis is on-going and results are expected to be published by December of 2014.

Wisconsin Wetland Inventory (WWI) Mapping for Iron and Ashland County: WWI maps show graphic representations of the type, size and location of wetlands in Wisconsin. These maps have been prepared from the analysis of high altitude imagery in conjunction with soil surveys, topographic maps, previous wetland inventories and field work. The principal focus of the WWI is to produce wetland maps that are graphic representations of the type, size and location of wetlands in Wisconsin. We anticipate completing the townships within the mine project area no later than December 31, 2014.

Lake Superior Basin Floristic Quality Assessment (FQA) Benchmarks Survey: This is a research study of the inland (not coastal) wetland plant communities in the Lake Superior Basin, using timed meander sampling to gather comprehensive presence and abundance data at 265 assessment areas of 9 plant community types during the growing seasons of 2012 and 2013, along with land cover and an assessment of the level of anthropogenic disturbance at each assessment area. The purpose is to study the response of FQA metrics to disturbance for each wetland plant community type, in order to set benchmarks distinguishing between low, medium and high plant community condition for these metrics. The study will help guide interpretation of plant community surveys conducted in accordance with the it’s sampling protocol. NWI + Projects for Landscape Level Wetland Functional Assessment ‘NWI+” is shorthand for an enhancement of the National Wetland Inventory, adding hydrogeomorphic classifications that describe a wetland’s Landscape position, Landform, Water flow path, and Waterbody type (LLWW descriptors). The US Fish and Wildlife Service have a manual for assigning these descriptors, “Dichotomous Keys and Mapping Codes for Wetland Landscape Position, Landform, Water Flow Path, and Waterbody Type Descriptors: Version 2.0” (R. Tiner 2011). This system has been used to describe wetland functional assessment at the watershed scale in several projects in Wisconsin. Trout stream classifications: Pursuant to s. NR 1.02(7), Wis. Adm. Code, the department is directed to identify and classify trout streams according to standards in that section to ensure adequate protection and proper management of this unique resource. The Fisheries Bureau uses the results from ~900 surveys of stream sites conducted annually across the state to continuously update the classification system based on the standards and procedures in the administrative code. The code requires the department to maintain a list of classified streams for public information but specifically states that the list “shall not be assumed to be exhaustive.” Trout stream classifications have formal legal standing in high capacity well and certain water regulations permit reviews, and have been the basis for making WPDES program use classifications. The Mercer WDNR Fish Team (charged with fisheries management responsibilities in Iron and Ashland Counties) is considering the following waterbodies for classification as trout streams in the vicinity of the proposed mine. Any proposed updates will follow the classification process as outlined in NR 1.02(7). The following listing includes the WDNR’s Waterbody Identification Code (WBIC) and Stream Name:

8

4000019 – Unnamed Cr. 2906450 – Unnamed Cr. 2930200 – Unnamed Cr. 2926600 – Unnamed Cr. 2930900 – Unnamed Cr. Fisheries baseline monitoring: Fisheries Management has established baseline fish monitoring protocols for all wadeable streams, non wadeable rivers, and lakes which contain fish populations that are actively managed by the program. The protocols include standard gear deployment, number of sites to be sampled for each waterbody, and a schedule under which the frequency of sampling is related to the use and importance of the waterbody. The baseline monitoring program is intended to allow local fisheries biologists to make decisions on stocking, harvest regulation and habitat management actions for primary managed species. Fisheries “Tier 2” Monitoring: Fisheries Management at times designs ad hoc special “Tier 2” surveys to collect information on managed species that are not adequately covered by our baseline protocol (e.g., sturgeon and catfish in some waters), or to follow up on specific management problems identified by baseline monitoring which require more detailed information. The department has water quality data stored in several data bases. These data were collected as part of various monitoring programs or special projects each with their own specific objectives. The department can provide data from the data bases electronically upon request. The following tables identify the streams and lakes where WDNR data are available. These data tables list survey sites in the following HUC 10 watersheds; Tyler Forks, Upper Bad, Lower Bad, Potato River, Montreal River, Marengo River, and Portions of the West Fork and East Fork of the Chippewa River and Upper North Fork Flambeau River. Data are available for lakes within a 50 mile radius of the mine site.

9

Table 1 Streams in the Penokee Region with water resources data.

Table 2. Existing lake data in and near the Penokee Range within approximately 50 miles of the mine site. “Limnology” refers to physical and chemical lake data including chlorophyll a, “Fish Hg” refers to mercury and other metals data analyzed in fish tissue, “Fish” includes abundance and size data of fish by species, and “Plant” refers to Point-Intercept aquatic plant surveys.

Lake County WBIC Limnology Fish Hg Fish Plant Spillerberg Lake Ashland 2936200 1 1 1 English Lake Ashland 2914800 1 1 Mineral Lake Ashland 2916900 1 1 1 1 Meder Lake Ashland 2935300 1 1 Augustine Lake Ashland 2410400 1 1 Lake Galilee Ashland 2935500 1 1 1 Upper Clam Lake Ashland 2429600 1 Spider Lake Ashland 2918600 1 1 Moquah Lake Ashland 2918200 1 1 Potter Lake Ashland 2917200 1 1 Gates Lake Ashland 1850200 1 1 Bear Lake Ashland 2403200 1 Anderson Lake Bayfield 2754200 1 Diamond Lake Bayfield 2897100 1 1 1 Middle Eau Claire Lake Bayfield 2742100 1 1 1 Eagle Lake Bayfield 2902900 1 1 1 Buskey Bay Bayfield 2903800 1 1 Upper Eau Claire Lake Bayfield 2742700 1 1 1 Lake Millicent Bayfield 2903700 1 1 1 Twin Bear Lake Bayfield 2903100 1 1 Hart Lake Bayfield 2903200 1 1 1 Flynn Lake Bayfield 2902800 1 1

Waterbody WBIC Earliest Sample Latest SampleNumber of

StationsWQ Unique

Sample EventsMacroinvertebrate

Unique Sample EventsHUC10

Tyler Forks 2923100 10/14/2009 10/17/2013 6 53 12 Tyler Forks WatershedScott Tyler Creek 2923300 11/02/2005 10/17/2012 2 1 2 Tyler Forks WatershedUnnamed Creek 2923400 06/01/2012 10/29/2012 1 1 1 Tyler Forks WatershedGehrman Creek 2923500 05/30/2012 10/29/2012 2 2 1 Tyler Forks WatershedCamp Four Creek 2923600 05/30/2012 10/18/2012 1 1 1 Tyler Forks WatershedFeldcher Creek 2923800 05/30/2012 10/29/2012 1 1 1 Tyler Forks WatershedVogue Creek 2924100 11/02/2005 10/29/2012 2 1 2 Tyler Forks WatershedUnnamed Creek 2924300 05/30/2012 11/08/2012 1 1 1 Tyler Forks WatershedJavorsky Creek 2924600 10/04/2011 10/15/2013 1 14 3 Tyler Forks WatershedErickson Creek 2924800 05/27/2011 11/08/2012 1 3 3 Tyler Forks WatershedRouse Creek 2925000 09/27/2006 09/24/2008 2 0 14 Tyler Forks WatershedUnnamed Creek 2925100 05/27/2011 10/05/2012 1 3 0 Tyler Forks WatershedMud Creek 2926000 04/30/2008 09/28/2012 2 2 1 Tyler Forks WatershedUnnamed Creek 2926200 11/03/2005 10/15/2013 2 10 1 Tyler Forks WatershedUnnamed Creek 2926600 06/01/2012 10/01/2013 2 2 1 Tyler Forks WatershedBull Gus Creek 2926700 11/03/2005 10/15/2013 2 15 2 Tyler Forks WatershedUnnamed Creek 2927400 11/03/2005 11/03/2005 1 0 1 Tyler Forks WatershedBad River 2891900 07/28/2005 10/17/2013 4 14 1 Upper Bad River WatershedDevils Creek 2929300 09/21/2000 10/15/2013 4 17 6 Upper Bad River WatershedMontreal Creek 2929400 05/30/2012 10/18/2012 1 1 1 Upper Bad River WatershedOpergard Creek 2929700 05/27/2011 10/05/2012 1 2 2 Upper Bad River WatershedCity Creek 2930100 05/24/2011 09/19/2012 1 2 2 Upper Bad River WatershedBallou Creek 2930700 05/19/2011 10/15/2013 2 18 5 Upper Bad River WatershedUnnamed Creek 2930900 05/31/2013 11/05/2013 1 1 0 Upper Bad River WatershedBrush Creek 2933600 04/28/1993 04/28/1993 1 0 3 Upper Bad River WatershedBad River 2891900 4/17/61 10/8/13 1 359 0 Bad River WatershedPotato River 2906200 06/08/1979 10/17/2013 5 10 7 Potato River WatershedVaughn Creek 2906300 06/22/1979 11/28/2006 3 1 4 Potato River WatershedFrieberg Creek 2907600 04/23/2012 09/28/2012 1 1 0 Potato River WatershedSixteen Creek 2908850 05/13/2013 10/15/2013 1 10 0 Potato River WatershedNorman Creek 2910400 05/13/2013 10/15/2013 1 10 0 Potato River WatershedUnnamed Creek 3000519 04/25/2007 09/23/2008 2 0 14 Potato River WatershedUnnamed Creek 3000520 04/25/2007 09/15/2008 1 0 4 Potato River Watershed

10

Namekagon Lake Bayfield 2732600 1 1 Lake Owen Bayfield 2900200 1 1 Garden Lake Bayfield 2735500 1 George Lake Bayfield 2465700 1 Lake Tahkodah Bayfield 2473500 1 1 Tomahawk Lake Bayfield 2501700 1 1 Half Moon Lake Bayfield 2762700 1 Ellison Lake Bayfield 2463300 1 Cranberry Lake Bayfield 2741700 1 Bony Lake Bayfield 2742500 1 Shunenberg Lake Bayfield 2743600 1 Robinson Lake Bayfield 2743300 1 1 1 Samoset Lake Bayfield 2494800 1 Lake Wilipyro Bayfield 2473600 1 Island Lake Bayfield 2470800 1 Hammil Lake Bayfield 2467900 1 Wiley Lake Bayfield 2729800 1 Cable Lake Bayfield 2729700 1 Long Lake Bayfield 2767100 1 1 Sand Bar Lake Bayfield 2494900 1 1 Pickerel Lake Bayfield 2489200 1 Phantom Lake Bayfield 2771200 1 Pigeon Lake Bayfield 2489400 1 1 Bark Bay Slough Bayfield 2881200 1 Dells Lake Bayfield 1844500 1 Atkins Lake Bayfield 2734000 1 1 1 Chippewa Lake Bayfield 2431300 1 1 Lester Lake Bayfield 2766500 1 Perch Lake Bayfield 2770700 1 1 Lake Delta Bayfield 2901700 1 Drummond Lake Bayfield 2899400 1 Cisco Lake Bayfield 2899200 1 Star Lake Bayfield 2898400 1 Siskiwit Lake Bayfield 2882300 1 Little Siskiwit Lake Bayfield 2882200 1 Twin Lakes Bayfield 2832200 1 Sawdust Lake Bayfield 2773200 1 Lund Lake Bayfield 2767800 1 Long Lake Bayfield 2767200 1 Lake Ruth Bayfield 2765900 1 Twin Lakes Bayfield 2761000 1 Bufo Lake Bayfield 2757000 1 Bladder Lake Bayfield 2756200 1 Armstrong Lake Bayfield 2754600 1 Birch Lake Bayfield 2743200 1 Twin Lakes Bayfield 2731800 1 Namekagon Lake Bayfield 2689500 1 Hildebrand Lake Bayfield 2469300 1 East Eightmile Lake Bayfield 2462200 1 Bellevue Lake Bayfield 2755800 1 Moon Lake Bayfield 2768900 1 Bass Lake Bayfield 2901100 1 Lower Eau Claire Lake Douglas 2741600 1 1 Gile Flowage Iron 2942300 1 1 1 Turtle Flambeau Flowage Iron 2294900 1 1 1 Mercer Lake Iron 2313600 1 1 Spider Lake Iron 2306300 1 1 Pardee Lake Iron 2308000 1 Trude Lake Iron 2295200 1 1 Wilson Lake Iron 2297000 1 1 Little Pike Lake Iron 2313100 1 1 Little Pine Lake Iron 2949500 1 Grand Portage Lake Iron 2314100 1 Lake of the Falls Iron 2298300 1 1 Long Lake Iron 2303500 1 1 Hewitt Lake Iron 2763300 1 Rice Lake Iron 2300600 1 Randall Lake Iron 2318500 1 Sandy Beach Lake Iron 2316100 1 Cedar Lake Iron 2309700 1 1 Owl Lake Iron 2307600 1

11

Deertail Lake Iron 1844300 1 Shine Lake Iron 2928200 1 Bearskull Lake Iron 2265100 1 1 McDermott Lake Iron 2296500 1 Upper Springstead Lake Iron 2267100 1 North Bass Lake Iron 1868900 1 1 Lake Six Iron 2294500 1 1 1 Fox Lake Iron 1849500 1 1 1 First Black Lake Iron 2298500 1 1 Weber Lake Iron 2909000 1 1 Pine Lake Iron 2949200 1 1 Echo Lake Iron 2301800 1 Moose Lake Iron 2299300 1 1 Squirrel Lake* Oneida 1536300 1 1 Franklin Lake Oneida 986000 1 1 1 Shishebogama Lake Oneida 1539600 1 1 1 Blue Lake Oneida 1538600 1 Fuller Lake Oneida 2272000 1 Squaw Lake Oneida 2271600 1 1 Kawaguesaga Lake Oneida 1542300 1 1 Diamond Lake Oneida 1537100 1 Willow Lake Oneida 1529500 1 1 Great Bass Lake Oneida 1851600 1 Booth Lake Oneida 1537800 1 1 Swamsauger Lake Oneida 1528700 1 1 Buckskin Lake Oneida 2272600 1 Malby Lake Oneida 1002900 1 Minocqua Lake Oneida 1542400 1 1 Park Falls Flowage, Lower Price 2290100 1 1 Pixley Flowage Price 2288900 1 1 Musser Flowage Price 2245100 1 1 1 1 Solberg Lake Price 2242500 1 1 Elk Lake Price 2240000 1 1 1 Long Lake Price 2239300 1 1 1 Butternut Lake Price 2283300 1 1 1 Lac Sault Dore Price 2236800 1 1 1 Round Lake Price 2267800 1 1 Big Dardis Lake Price 2244200 1 1 Newman Lake Price 1870200 1 1 Pike Lake Price 2268300 1 1 Turner Lake Price 2268500 1 1 Blockhouse Lake Price 2256800 1 1 Wilson Lake Price 2239400 1 1 Schnur Lake Price 2284000 1 1 Sailor Lake Price 2254800 1 1 Price Lake Price 2234600 1 1 Cranberry Lake Price 2217000 1 1 Tucker Lake Price 2269000 1 1 Deer Lake Price 2239100 1 1 Riley Lake Price 2263400 1 1 1 Duroy Lake Price 2240100 1 1 Bass Lake Price 2279800 1 Twin Lakes Price 2264200 1 Cochran Lake Price 2264000 1 Sailor Creek Flowage Price 2252200 1 Wilson Flowage Price 2246500 1 Lake Ten Price 1859400 1 Crane and Chase Lake Price 2237500 1 Grassy Lake Price 2238100 1 Spider Lake Sawyer 2435700 1 1 Nelson Lake (Totagatic Flow) Sawyer 2704200 1 1 1 Tiger Cat Flowage Sawyer 2435000 1 1 Teal Lake Sawyer 2417000 1 1 1 Lower Clam Lake Sawyer 2429300 1 1 1 Teal River Flowage Sawyer 2416900 1 Lost Land Lake Sawyer 2418600 1 1 Moose Lake Sawyer 2420600 1 1 Clear Lake Sawyer 1841300 1 1 1 Connors Lake Sawyer 2275100 1 1 1 Lake Placid Sawyer 2436500 1 Blueberry Lake Sawyer 1835700 1 1

12

Barber Lake Sawyer 2382300 1 1 Ghost Lake Sawyer 2423000 1 1 Black Dan Lake Sawyer 2381900 1 1 Black Lake Sawyer 2401300 1 1 1 Blaisdell Lake Sawyer 2402200 1 1 Barker Lake Sawyer 2400000 1 1 Radisson Flowage Sawyer 2397400 1 Island Lake Sawyer 2381800 1 1 North Lake Sawyer 2436000 1 Fawn Lake Sawyer 2435900 1 Clear Lake Sawyer 2435800 1 1 Christner Lake Sawyer 1840800 1 1 Smith Lake Sawyer 2726100 1 1 Spring Lake Sawyer 2724900 1 1 Winter Lake (Price Flowage) Sawyer 2381100 1 1 Indian School Lake Sawyer 2726000 1 1 Lake of the Pines Sawyer 2275300 1 1 Currier Lake Sawyer 1842800 1 Lake Helane Sawyer 1859100 1 1 1 Silverthorn Lake Sawyer 2497000 1 1 Pelican Lake Sawyer 1873100 1 Mud Lake Sawyer 2434800 1 Callahan Lake Sawyer 2434700 1 1 Fishtrap Lake Sawyer 2401100 1 1 Round Lake Sawyer 2395600 1 1 Little Round Lake Sawyer 2395500 1 1 Pacwawong Spring Sawyer 2728900 1 Pacwawong Lake Sawyer 2728700 1 Crane Lake Sawyer 2436900 1 Lake Chippewa Sawyer 2399700 1 Loretta Lake (U Brunet Flowage) Sawyer 2382700 1 Evergreen Lake Sawyer 2277600 1 Mason Lake Sawyer 2277200 1 Two Axe Lake Sawyer 1887200 1 Osprey Lake Sawyer 2395100 1 Lac Courte Oreilles Sawyer 2390800 1 1 1 Trout Lake Vilas 2331600 1 1 Little Rock Lake Vilas 1862100 1 Dead Pike Lake Vilas 2316600 1 1 1 Upper Gresham Lake Vilas 2330800 1 1 1 Johnson Lake Vilas 1541100 1 Clear Lake Vilas 2329000 1 1 Diamond Lake Vilas 1844700 1 Amik Lake Vilas 2268600 1 Gunlock Lake Vilas 1539700 1 1 1 Towanda Lake Vilas 1022900 1 1 Rest Lake Vilas 2327500 1 1 1 Island Lake Vilas 2334400 1 1 Moss Lake Vilas 2322500 1 Spider Lake Vilas 2329300 1 1 Little Spider Lake Vilas 1540400 1 1 Arrowhead Lake Vilas 1541500 1 1 1 Annabelle Lake Vilas 2953800 1 1 Lower Gresham Lake Vilas 2330300 1 1 Horsehead Lake Vilas 2953100 1 1 Plummer Lake Vilas 1875100 1 Morton Lake Vilas 2960300 1 Hiawatha Lake Vilas 2328400 1 North Turtle Lake Vilas 2310400 1 1 Papoose Lake Vilas 2328700 1 1 Pokegama Lake Vilas 2320800 1 Birch Lake Vilas 2311100 1 1 Harris Lake Vilas 2958500 1 1 Crab Lake Vilas 2953500 1 1 South Turtle Lake Vilas 2310200 1 1 Bills Lake Vilas 1835500 1 Carlin Lake Vilas 2757900 1 Crystal Lake Vilas 1842400 1 1 Little Crawling Stone Lake Vilas 2324000 1 Presque Isle Lake Vilas 2956500 1 1 Bobidosh Lake Vilas 1836100 1

13

Ike Walton Lake Vilas 2321800 1 1 Ross Allen Lake Vilas 1878100 1 Van Vliet Lake Vilas 2956800 1 1 Little Crooked Lake Vilas 2335500 1 1 Stearns Lake Vilas 2323600 1 1 White Sand Lake Vilas 2321100 1 High Lake Vilas 2344000 1 1 Jag Lake Vilas 1855900 1 1 Middle Gresham Lake Vilas 2330700 1 1 Wildcat Lake Vilas 2336800 1 1 Crawling Stone Lake Vilas 2322800 1 Circle Lily Lake Vilas 2326700 1 1 Big Muskellunge Lake Vilas 1835300 1 1 Armour Lake Vilas 2953200 1 Alder Lake Vilas 2329600 1 1 Nichols Lake Vilas 1870400 1 Oxbow Lake Vilas 2954800 1 1 Fishtrap Lake Vilas 2343200 1 1 Rock Lake Vilas 2311700 1 1 Sparkling Lake Vilas 1881900 1 1 Beaver Lake Vilas 2960600 1 Edith Lake Vilas 1846900 1 Mermaid Lake Vilas 2768100 1 Lower Sugarbush Lake Vilas 2317600 1 Little John Lake Vilas 2332300 1 1 Placid Twin Lake, North Vilas 2323800 1 Geneveive Lake Vilas 1850500 1 Snake Lake Vilas 1541700 1 Little Star Lake Vilas 2334300 1 1 Fence Lake Vilas 2323000 1 1 Tenderfoot Lake Vilas 2962400 1 1 Sanborn Lake Vilas 2960200 1 Wishow Lake Vilas 2046800 1 Tippecanoe Lake Vilas 1886000 1 Nixon Lake Vilas 2341200 1 1 Vandercook Lake Vilas 1176400 1 1 Cochran Lake Vilas 2963500 1 Allequash Lake Vilas 2332400 1 1 1 Lost Canoe Lake Vilas 2339800 1 White Sand Lake Vilas 2339100 1 1 Boulder Lake Vilas 2338300 1 1 Big Lake Vilas 2334700 1 1 Mann Lake Vilas 2332000 1 Apeekwa Lake Vilas 2269400 1 Brandy Lake Vilas 1541300 1 1 Round Lake Vilas 2334900 1 1 Little Crab Lake Vilas 2955900 1 Big Crooked Lake Vilas 2321400 1 1 McCullough Lake Vilas 2960400 1 Twin Island Lake Vilas 2959300 1 Lower Aimer Lake Vilas 2955000 1 Knife Lake Vilas 2954000 1 Little Trout Lake Vilas 2321600 1 1 Favil Lake Vilas 2269900 1 1 Grassy Lake Vilas 2343900 1 Manitowish Lake Vilas 2329400 1 1 Wild Rice Lake Vilas 2329800 1 1 Day Lake Vilas 1843500 1 1 Lynx Lake Vilas 2954500 1 Escanaba Lake Vilas 2339900 1 Little Sand Lake Vilas 2322200 1 Middle Sugarbush Lake Vilas 2317700 1 Wabasso Lake Vilas 2045000 1 Signal Lake Vilas 1880900 1 Sherman Lake Vilas 1880700 1 Pallette Lake Vilas 1872100 1 Oswego Lake Vilas 1871800 1 Little Gibson Lake Vilas 1861500 1 Camp Lake Vilas 1839100 1 Broken Bow Lake Vilas 1837300 1 Big Gibson Lake Vilas 1835200 1

14

Benedict Lake Vilas 971200 1 Stateline Lake Vilas 2952100 1

Table 3. Existing lake data in and near the Penokee Range within approximately 15 miles of the mine site. “Limnology” refers to physical and chemical lake data including chlorophyll a, “Fish Hg” refers to mercury and other metals data analyzed in fish tissue, “Fish” includes abundance and size data of fish by species, and “Plant” refers to Point-Intercept aquatic plant surveys. Lake County WBIC Limnology Fish Hg Fish Plant Spillerberg Lake Ashland 2936200 1 1 1 English Lake Ashland 2914800 1 1 Mineral Lake Ashland 2916900 1 1 1 1 Meder Lake Ashland 2935300 1 1 Augustine Lake Ashland 2410400 1 1 Lake Galilee Ashland 2935500 1 1 1 Potter Lake Ashland 2917200 1 1 Gile Flowage Iron 2942300 1 1 1 Shine Lake Iron 2928200 1 Lake Six Iron 2294500 1 1 1 Weber Lake Iron 2909000 1 1 Spillerberg Lake Ashland 2936200 1 1 1

Table 4. Streams in Middle Tyler Forks Watershed (HUC 12 #040103020202) identified by stream name and waterbody identification code (WBIC) along with the respective length of the stream, number of access points surveyed, the number of fisheries surveys conducted, and respective trout classification. HUC12 NAME STREAM NAME WBIC LENGTH

(MILES) # of Access Points Surveyed

# of Surveys

Trout Classification

Middle Tyler Forks Tyler Forks 2923100 9.8 Iron 7 Ashland 8

18 101

1 & 2 1 & 2

Middle Tyler Forks Javorsky Creek 2924600 3.0 1 4 1

Middle Tyler Forks Dunn Creek 2924700 1.7 1 1 3

Middle Tyler Forks Erickson Creek 2924800 5.1 5 5 2

Middle Tyler Forks Rouse Creek 2925000 2.3 3 8 3

Middle Tyler Forks Unnamed 2925100 0.7 1 1 No Classification

Middle Tyler Forks Mud Creek 2926000 3.7 4 4 2

Middle Tyler Forks Unnamed 2926200 1.7 2 2 No Classification

Middle Tyler Forks Unnamed 2926600 1.4 2 2 Pending

Middle Tyler Forks Bull Gus Creek 2926700 2.5 1 3 3

Middle Tyler Forks Unnamed 4000019 Pending 1 2 Pending

Table 5: Streams in Devils Creeks-Bad River Watershed (HUC12 #040103020304) identified by stream name and waterbody identification code (WBIC) along with the respective length of the stream, number of access points surveyed, the number of fisheries surveys conducted, and respective trout classification. HUC12 NAME STREAM

NAME WBIC LENGTH

(MILES) # of Access Points Surveyed

# of Surveys

Trout Classification

15

Devils Creeks-Bad River Devils Creek 2929300 6.9 8 21 1 Devils Creeks-Bad River Montreal

Creek 2929400 7.6 6 7 2

Devils Creeks-Bad River Unnamed 2929600 1.7 1 2 No Classification Devils Creeks-Bad River Opergard

Creek 2929700 3.8 1 1 2

Devils Creeks-Bad River City Creek 2930100 3.1 5 9 2 Devils Creeks-Bad River Unnamed 2930200 1.1 1 2 Pending Devils Creeks-Bad River Ballou Creek 2930700 3.6 3 9 1 Devils Creeks-Bad River Unnamed 2930900 1.5 3 3 Pending Devils Creeks-Bad River Unnamed 5002727 0.2 2 2 No Classification Table 6. The following table shows the trout stream classification status of streams and rivers in the two hydrologic units expected to be directly impacted by the proposed mine. Each waterbody is specifically identified by its water body identification code (WRIC).

16

HUC12 NAME STREAM NAME WBICLENGTH(MILES)

# of Access Points Surveyed

# ofSurveys

TroutClassification

Devils Creeks-Bad River Devils Creek 2929300 6.9 8 21 1Devils Creeks-Bad River Montreal Creek 2929400 7.6 6 7 2Devils Creeks-Bad River Unnamed 2929500 1.0 No data No data No ClassificationDevils Creeks-Bad River Unnamed 2929600 1.7 1 2 No ClassificationDevils Creeks-Bad River Opergard Creek 2929700 3.8 1 1 2Devils Creeks-Bad River Unnamed 2929900 1.3 No data No data No ClassificationDevils Creeks-Bad River Unnamed 2930000 0.6 No data No data No ClassificationDevils Creeks-Bad River City Creek 2930100 3.1 5 9 2Devils Creeks-Bad River Unnamed 2930200 1.1 1 2 PendingDevils Creeks-Bad River Unnamed 2930300 0.5 No data No data No ClassificationDevils Creeks-Bad River Unnamed 2930500 0.7 No data No data No ClassificationDevils Creeks-Bad River Unnamed 2930600 0.7 No data No data No ClassificationDevils Creeks-Bad River Ballou Creek 2930700 3.6 3 9 1Devils Creeks-Bad River Unnamed 2930800 2.0 No data No data No ClassificationDevils Creeks-Bad River Unnamed 2930900 1.5 3 3 PendingDevils Creeks-Bad River Unnamed 2931200 0.2 No data No data No ClassificationDevils Creeks-Bad River Unnamed 5002496 0.8 No data No data No ClassificationDevils Creeks-Bad River Unnamed 5002507 0.7 No data No data No ClassificationDevils Creeks-Bad River Unnamed 5002548 0.5 No data No data No ClassificationDevils Creeks-Bad River Unnamed 5002566 0.5 No data No data No ClassificationDevils Creeks-Bad River Unnamed 5002610 0.2 No data No data No ClassificationDevils Creeks-Bad River Unnamed 5002612 0.5 No data No data No ClassificationDevils Creeks-Bad River Unnamed 5002653 0.4 No data No data No ClassificationDevils Creeks-Bad River Unnamed 5002661 0.8 No data No data No ClassificationDevils Creeks-Bad River Unnamed 5002664 0.9 No data No data No ClassificationDevils Creeks-Bad River Unnamed 5002669 0.5 No data No data No ClassificationDevils Creeks-Bad River Unnamed 5002672 0.0 No data No data No ClassificationDevils Creeks-Bad River Unnamed 5002676 0.6 No data No data No ClassificationDevils Creeks-Bad River Unnamed 5002682 0.4 No data No data No ClassificationDevils Creeks-Bad River Unnamed 5002684 0.1 No data No data No ClassificationDevils Creeks-Bad River Unnamed 5002695 0.5 No data No data No ClassificationDevils Creeks-Bad River Unnamed 5002698 0.1 No data No data No ClassificationDevils Creeks-Bad River Unnamed 5002711 0.5 No data No data No ClassificationDevils Creeks-Bad River Unnamed 5002713 0.6 No data No data No ClassificationDevils Creeks-Bad River Unnamed 5002727 0.2 2 2 No ClassificationDevils Creeks-Bad River Unnamed 5002739 0.0 No data No data No ClassificationDevils Creeks-Bad River Unnamed 5002747 0.1 No data No data No ClassificationDevils Creeks-Bad River Unnamed 5002749 0.5 No data No data No ClassificationDevils Creeks-Bad River Unnamed 5002757 0.7 No data No data No ClassificationDevils Creeks-Bad River Unnamed 5002761 0.8 No data No data No ClassificationDevils Creeks-Bad River Unnamed 5002762 0.9 No data No data No ClassificationDevils Creeks-Bad River Unnamed 5002765 1.0 No data No data No ClassificationDevils Creeks-Bad River Unnamed 5002767 0.3 No data No data No ClassificationDevils Creeks-Bad River Unnamed 5002768 0.7 No data No data No ClassificationDevils Creeks-Bad River Unnamed 5002771 0.7 No data No data No ClassificationDevils Creeks-Bad River Unnamed 5002774 0.7 No data No data No ClassificationDevils Creeks-Bad River Unnamed 5002783 0.3 No data No data No ClassificationDevils Creeks-Bad River Unnamed 5002785 0.6 No data No data No ClassificationDevils Creeks-Bad River Unnamed 5002798 0.1 No data No data No ClassificationDevils Creeks-Bad River Unnamed 5002799 0.2 No data No data No ClassificationDevils Creeks-Bad River Unnamed 5002802 0.3 No data No data No Classification

17

HUC12 NAME STREAM NAME WBICLENGTH(MILES)

# of Access Points Surveyed

# ofSurveys

TroutClassification

Middle Tyler Forks Tyler Forks 2923100 9.8Iron 7

Ashland 818

101*1 & 21 & 2

Middle Tyler Forks Javorsky Creek 2924600 3.0 1 4 1

Middle Tyler Forks Dunn Creek 2924700 1.7 1 1 3

Middle Tyler Forks Erickson Creek 2924800 5.1 5 5 2

Middle Tyler Forks Unnamed 2924900 0.6 No data No data No ClassificationMiddle Tyler Forks Rouse Creek 2925000 2.3 3 8 3

Middle Tyler Forks Unnamed 2925100 0.7 1 1 No ClassificationMiddle Tyler Forks Unnamed 2925200 1.1 No data No data No ClassificationMiddle Tyler Forks Unnamed 2925300 1.4 No data No data No ClassificationMiddle Tyler Forks Unnamed 2925400 1.1 No data No data No ClassificationMiddle Tyler Forks Unnamed 2925500 1.1 No data No data No ClassificationMiddle Tyler Forks Unnamed 2925600 0.7 No data No data No ClassificationMiddle Tyler Forks Unnamed 2925700 2.2 No data No data No ClassificationMiddle Tyler Forks Unnamed 2925800 0.9 No data No data No ClassificationMiddle Tyler Forks Mead Creek 2925900 3.1 No data No data 2

Middle Tyler Forks Mud Creek 2926000 3.7 4 4 2

Middle Tyler Forks Unnamed 2926100 0.6 No data No data No ClassificationMiddle Tyler Forks Unnamed 2926200 1.7 2 2 No ClassificationMiddle Tyler Forks Unnamed 2926300 0.7 No data No data No ClassificationMiddle Tyler Forks Unnamed 2926500 0.9 No data No data No ClassificationMiddle Tyler Forks Unnamed 2926600 1.4 2 2 PendingMiddle Tyler Forks Bull Gus Creek 2926700 2.5 1 3 3

Middle Tyler Forks Unnamed 2926800 1.1 No data No data No ClassificationMiddle Tyler Forks Unnamed 2926900 1.5 No data No data No ClassificationMiddle Tyler Forks Unnamed 2927000 0.0 No data No data No ClassificationMiddle Tyler Forks Unnamed 4000019 Pending 1 2 PendingMiddle Tyler Forks Unnamed 5002426 0.8 No data No data No ClassificationMiddle Tyler Forks Unnamed 5002442 0.5 No data No data No ClassificationMiddle Tyler Forks Unnamed 5002444 0.4 No data No data No ClassificationMiddle Tyler Forks Unnamed 5002491 0.3 No data No data No ClassificationMiddle Tyler Forks Unnamed 5002514 0.1 No data No data No ClassificationMiddle Tyler Forks Unnamed 5002560 1.7 No data No data No ClassificationMiddle Tyler Forks Unnamed 5002571 0.8 No data No data No ClassificationMiddle Tyler Forks Unnamed 5002574 0.9 No data No data No ClassificationMiddle Tyler Forks Unnamed 5002587 0.7 No data No data No ClassificationMiddle Tyler Forks Unnamed 5002590 0.5 No data No data No ClassificationMiddle Tyler Forks Unnamed 5002596 0.2 No data No data No ClassificationMiddle Tyler Forks Unnamed 5002602 0.6 No data No data No ClassificationMiddle Tyler Forks Unnamed 5002607 0.6 No data No data No ClassificationMiddle Tyler Forks Unnamed 5002609 0.3 No data No data No ClassificationMiddle Tyler Forks Unnamed 5002617 0.2 No data No data No ClassificationMiddle Tyler Forks Unnamed 5002618 0.9 No data No data No ClassificationMiddle Tyler Forks Unnamed 5002631 0.3 No data No data No ClassificationMiddle Tyler Forks Unnamed 5002634 0.5 No data No data No ClassificationMiddle Tyler Forks Unnamed 5002657 0.3 No data No data No ClassificationMiddle Tyler Forks Unnamed 5002666 0.3 No data No data No ClassificationMiddle Tyler Forks Unnamed 5002678 0.3 No data No data No ClassificationMiddle Tyler Forks Unnamed 5002725 0.6 No data No data No ClassificationMiddle Tyler Forks Unnamed 5002740 1.0 No data No data No ClassificationMiddle Tyler Forks Unnamed 5002769 0.7 No data No data No ClassificationMiddle Tyler Forks Unnamed 5002782 0.2 No data No data No ClassificationMiddle Tyler Forks Unnamed 5002793 0.4 No data No data No ClassificationMiddle Tyler Forks Unnamed 5002823 1.4 No data No data No Classification* Some surveys are from historical downloads that are incomplete or do not contain fisheries data.

18

Groundwater and Drinking Water Information and Resources

1. Water Supply Well Construction Reports [available on CD from Dept. upon request] 2. Groundwater quality sampling results from Groundwater Retrieval Network (GRN)

System [available on spreadsheet from Dept. upon request] 3. Pre-1988 Water Supply Well Construction Reports [available on web at DATCP

website http://datcpgis.wi.gov/WellLogs/ ] 4. Groundwater quality sampling results from UW-Stevens Point database system

[available on web at UW-Stevens Point website https://www.uwsp.edu/cnr-ap/watershed/Pages/wellwaterviewer.aspx ]

5. USGS 2004 Wisconsin Bedrock Map [available on the web at: http://mrdata.usgs.gov/geology/state/state.php?state=WI ]

6. USGS National Water Quality Information System - Wisconsin groundwater level monitoring and groundwater quality sampling results [available on the web at: http://maps.waterdata.usgs.gov/mapper/index.html ]

7. USGS National Water Quality Information System – Iron County, WI groundwater level monitoring and groundwater quality sampling results [available on the web at: http://maps.waterdata.usgs.gov/mapper/nwisquery.html?URL=http://nwis.waterdata.usgs.gov/wi/nwis/gwlevels?county_cd=55051&format=sitefile_output&sitefile_output_format=xml&column_name=agency_cd&column_name=site_no&column_name=station_nm&date_format=YYYY-MM-DD&rdb_compression=file&list_of_search_criteria=county_cd&column_name=site_tp_cd&column_name=dec_lat_va&column_name=dec_long_va&column_name=agency_use_cd

8. WGNHS publications related to geology/hydrogeology of Northern WI [listed on web at: http://wisconsingeologicalsurvey.org/pdfs/loppdf/lop08.pdf ]

9. USGS 2008 Professional Paper #1730 The Gogebic Iron Range – A Sample of the Northern Margin of the Penokean Fold and Thrust Belt [available on the web at: http://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/pp1730/pdf/PP1730.pdf ]

10. Minnesota Dept. of Natural Resources 2008 paper titled Sources and Fate of Sulfate in Minnesota Watersheds - A Minerals Coordinating Committee Progress Report [available on the web at: http://www.miningminnesota.com/uploads/SO4paperProgReport_7_2008__3_.pdf ]

11. USGS 2002 Water-Resources Investigation Report 02-4198 titled Characterization of Ground-Water Flow Between the Canisteo Mine Pit and Surrounding Aquifers, Mesabi Iron Range, Minnesota [available on the web at: http://pubs.usgs.gov/wri/wri024198/pdf/wri024198.pdf ]

Forestry

The department maintains a variety of information concerning the nature of County Forest lands in the state. Some of this information may be used to evaluate the environmental impact of the project and to expedite the preparation of County Forest Withdrawal documents and the environmental impact report and the environmental impact statement. The department maintains a forest reconnaissance database that contains forest attributes at a stand level in conjunction with a spatial GIS representation of those stands, for the lands enrolled as Iron County Forest. This forest reconnaissance data has been collected by Iron County and department forestry staff and is of varying ages and has varying levels of detail by stand. The attributes that are included for all stands are: stand number, exam date, primary forest type, acres,

19

invasive level, soil type, and management objective. The database also has some conditionally required and optional fields that include: primary size class (forested types), primary density (forested types), year of origin (even-aged forest types), total height (even-aged forest types), mean stand diameter (forested types), site index (even-aged forest types), total basal area (forested types if poles or saw-timber), total volume cords & board feet (forested types if poles or saw-timber), primary tree species information (forested types, listing the first major tree species and its associated basal area and volume), planned management prescription (forested types), invasive species and density, and potentially a management treatment if scheduled (type, treatment purpose, and forester year of treatment). Managed Forest Land Information and Resources The department has maps of the lands that were submitted by the landowner at the time of enrollment in the MFL program. The maps show landscape features, such as roads, lakes, streams, timber types, and other vegetation types. The actual forest reconnaissance data is owed and maintained by the landowner and/or the landowner’s agents.

Wildlife

The Gogebic-Penokee Range is considered an Important Bird Area (IBA) and a Conservation Opportunity Area (COA) for wildlife species of greatest conservation need. This is because it features large blocks of forest containing a majority of older forest. These forests provide an opportunity to manage for the mature to older age classes. Areas feature a continuum of an extensive matrix of older northern hardwood forest with imbedded lakes, wetlands, and bedrock including Northern Mesic Forest, Northern Dry-Mesic Forest, Northern Wet-Mesic Forest, Northern Wet Forest, Open Bog, Muskeg, Northern Hardwood Swamp, Northern Sedge Meadow, and Bedrock Glades. The Gogebic-Penokee Range COA can support several species of greatest conservation need including Boreal Chorus Frog, Four-toed Salamander, Mink Frog, Pickerel Frog, Wood Turtle, American Bittern, Black-backed Woodpecker, Black Tern, Black-throated Blue Warbler, Bobolink, Boreal Chickadee, Canada Warbler, Connecticut Warbler, Golden-winged Warbler (bog edges and stream corridors), Least Flycatcher, Northern Goshawk, Northern Harrier, Olive-sided Flycatcher, Red-shouldered Hawk, Rusty Blackbird, Solitary Sandpiper, Sharp-tailed Grouse, Spruce Grouse, Veery, Wood Thrush, American Marten, Eastern Red Bat, Gray Wolf, Hoary Bat, Moose, Northern Long-eared Bat, Northern Flying Squirrel, Silver-haired Bat, Water Shrew, Woodland Jumping Mouse, Bog Fritillary, Frigga Fritillary, Freija Fritillary, Harris Checkerspot, Red-disked Alpine, Jutta Arctic, Brown Elfin, West Virginia White, and Laurentian Skipper. Not all of the species of greatest conservation need are found within the proposed mining site and not the entire site is located within the COA. However the Gogebic-Penokee Range has the potential to host these species as well as many other common species. Following is a list of what the department considers high-profile wildlife species that are known to be found in or near the proposed mining site. Deer (Odocoileus virginanus) The proposed mining site is located within deer management unit 28. The department does not have specific data for the proposed site but as a whole unit 28 can only support a moderate deer population based on habitat. Hunting pressure is low with an opening day density of about 6 hunters per square mile. Buck harvest ranges from 1 to 2 harvested per square mile. It is expected

20

that harvest numbers and opening day pressure would be even lower in the proposed mining site location. There are no known deer yards within the boundary of the proposed mining site however there are 2 deer yards within a mile of the site and 3 additional deer yards within 3 miles of the site. There are travel corridors within the proposed mining site boundary in which deer use to move to these deer yards as part of their winter range. The map below contains approximate locations. Please note that boundary lines are estimated and do not represent exact boundary lines.

21

Black Bear (Ursus americanas) There is good bear range located within the proposed mining site as well as a healthy and stable bear population in the area. This area is hunted with both hound dogs and bait hunters. It is possible that hound dogs will run through the closed area if released on county land nearby creating potential conflict. Bobcat (Lynx rufus) There are bobcats throughout the proposed mining site however they are more common in other areas of the county. Because the bobcat does not depend exclusively on the deep forest it is more typically found in lowland areas, agricultural areas, or swamps near forested tracts outside the proposed mining site. Gray Wolf (Canis lupus) There is one wolf pack that’s territory is located within the proposed mining site. There are three additional packs within the nearby area. Mining could impact the wolves’ territory and they may be forced to create a new home range. The most likely area where they would move to would be to the west near the city of Mellen potentially increasing wolf-human conflict. American Marten (Martes americana) The American marten is Wisconsin’s only endangered mammal. Its range encompasses the proposed mining site. Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) Eagle nests have been found within the area nearby the proposed mining site. Northern Goshawk (Accipiter gentilis) Northern goshawk is a species of special concern and has been found in Iron and Ashland counties. Wood Turtle (Glyptemys insculpta) The wood turtle is a state threatened species and has been observed within the nearby area of the proposed mining site. Available Bird Survey Data The department collects and maintains a variety of data from internal and public sources regarding avian species composition and distribution that may be valuable. In particular, there was a bird survey completed in 2006 for an area just east of the proposed project area close to the town of Iron Belt. Data from that survey describes avian habitats available, species observed, and protection recommendations for the area. Other Sources of Information

• United States Geological Survey maintains stream flow data and lake level data • North Temperate Lakes Long Term Ecological Research site (University of Wisconsin

Madison) monitors lakes in Vilas County • Bad River Watershed Association • Northland College • Bad River Tribe

22

• Iron County Land Conservation Department • Ashland County Land Conservation Department